Speaking

Over the past decade I have delivered keynote addresses at various international conferences including the International Ombuds Expo (IOE) in Abuja, Nigeria, and UNAM in Mexico. I have also hosted several conferences as well as serving as the Moderator and Chair for the Tutu Foundation Public Engagement Series.

In 2016 I presented a Pecha Kucha titled “Holding the Tension” at the International Ombuds Association Conference in Seattle.

In August I am often invited to gender speaking engagements of various forms, workshops, keynotes or as a respondent on topics I specialise in. I have also chaired a Dialogue on Employment Equity: Ticking Boxes or True Transformation with speakers from academia (UCT), Business (BMF) and Political Formations (Afriforum, ANC and DA).

I am available to host workshops on issues relating to diversity, gender and transformation. My strong sense of fairness has developed over many years of serving as Ombuds, and this quality, in conjunction with the ability to listen and problem-solve, allows me to connect and support all workplace communities.

My independence and impartiality makes me ideally positioned to resolve conflicts through mediation and dialogue.

Gender equality is not only an ethical imperative, it is a business priority and an investment. Until recently, talk about gender focused on men and women, and most workplace policies were built with this binary understanding. These policies are no longer relevant.

Beyond definitions, gender parity is still an issue in South Africa’s workplace. Every year we read about a gender gap in executive positions, and this comes as an expectation for every annual report (at least for me). When you do the same things the same way, you cannot suddenly expect different outcomes. Positive steps reported by The South African Workplace Equality Index (SAWEI) are commendable, but there is more work to be done to achieve gender equality to promote more inclusive and respectful workplaces.

Organisations need to step back and examine gender from a new perspective. Allow me to enhance your gender understanding and help you rethink your gender strategy.

In many organisations, staff who are operational experts, ascend to leadership positions. The transition from operations to management can be a challenging one and often there is little or no development and support to assist them.

Leadership is a skill that can be developed. One way to provide the necessary guidance in these contexts is to provide the new manager with specialized Executive Coaching.

Today’s questions on embracing diversity are no longer about selling it as making business sense or even as a compliance requirement. The statements about attracting and retaining a diverse workforce or body of learners are everywhere and seemingly well-meaning, but not necessarily well thought through.  Little or no effort is aimed at operationalising the D.E.I.B. acronym itself.  My role is to assist with the necessary steps that give real meaning and commitment to building and sustaining equitable and inclusive spaces in a practical way.